Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Wednesday's Catch: 'A Game-Changer for Churches: The Know Your Beliefs Report' And More


A Game-Changer for Churches: The Know Your Beliefs Report
Church Answers has created a new tool for determining what the members of your congregation believe. Pastors and other church leaders can no longer assume that their congregations subscribe to orthodox beliefs as a number of recent surveys show that large numbers of American Christans are heterodox if not heretical in their beliefs. Syncretism, the blending of Christian beliefs and practices with non-Christian beliefs ad practices, is also on the rise.

Optimistic Denominationalism
Tim Challies offers an interesting perspective for viewing the various lines along which Protestantism and Protestant churches are divided.

5 Creative Fundraising Ideas for Summer Church Projects That Won’t Make Your Eyes Glaze Over
Hey there, fellow pastors! Summer’s just around the corner, and with it comes the exciting whirlwind of church camps, mission trips, and all sorts of awesome outreach programs. But let’s be honest, funding these initiatives can sometimes feel like pulling teeth. Bake sale, anyone? Been there, frosted that.

John Wesley and Faith at Aldersgate
The importance of justification by faith to the thinking of John Wesley (1703–1791) both during and after his Aldersgate Street experience in May 1738 has long been doubted by some Wesley scholars. This article demonstrates that the historical data surrounding Aldersgate is compelling and points to the validity of Wesley’s own interpretation of that occasion. A reprise of the historical data, coupled with an examination of some alternative interpretations by distinguished modern Wesley scholars, demonstrates the weak historical basis for interpretations that downplay justification by faith. John Wesley remains an important and instructive figure in the history of evangelical revivals.

The Rule of Three: An Intergenerational Lens for Ministry
Simply put, the Rule of Three ensures that at least three generations are present in any given situation. The Rule of Three is a lens that we can apply to our community activities to ensure we are expanding our reach and opportunity for connection, relationship, and discipleship beyond our regular age limitations.

7 Elements of Effective Bilingual Worship Services
There are several considerations for pastors putting together the pieces for bilingual worship in their churches.

Youth Group Opening Prayer: 11 Ideas for Teen Bible Studies & Gatherings
Youth group opening prayer time can get stuck in a rut. Do you need fresh ideas for opening a Bible study for teens? Then keep reading! We’ve gathered 11 innovative ways to kick off a youth meeting or small-group lesson.

UMC regional body can keep breakaway congregation's property, judge rules
A regional body of the United Methodist Church is the rightful owner of an Arkansas church property that belonged to a congregation whose dissafiliation vote was rejected by the conference, a judge has ruled.

UMC bishops call for unity at General Conference as homosexuality schism looms large
United Methodist Church bishops are calling for unity as its General Conference kicks off Tuesday after thousands of churches left the mainline Protestant denomination amid efforts to alter its official stance against homosexuality and the ordination of LGBT individuals.

Patriarch Kirill’s ‘Holy War’ decree puts WCC membership at risk
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has been warned that his recent approval of a decree urging a “Holy War” and total takeover of Ukraine is likely to make the Russian Orthodox Church ineligible for membership of international ecumenical organisations.

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